


Characterization of Shimada Hanzo

by BareClinten



Series: Characterization of Overwatch Characters I made [3]
Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Character Analysis, Character Study, Hanzo Shimada Character Analysis, Hanzo Shimada Character Study, Hanzo Shimada Characterization, Mentions of Sojiro Shimada - Freeform, Overwatch - Freeform, Overwatch Characters - Freework, Post-Fall of Overwatch, Pre-Fall of Overwatch, Shimada Brothers, Shimada Clan, Shimada Hanzo Character Study, characterization, done with proper research
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-30
Updated: 2021-01-30
Packaged: 2021-03-16 15:28:16
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,537
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29084637
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BareClinten/pseuds/BareClinten
Summary: A characterization that I created with the help of my existing documents and the guidelines for these from my German teacher.As the title suggests, this is about Shimada Hanzo, as I find his character structure particularly interesting.A.k.a. The fully written and professional version of theanalysis of Hanzo Shimadahere, which I wrote in preparation for a class test.
Series: Characterization of Overwatch Characters I made [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2121999
Kudos: 2





	Characterization of Shimada Hanzo

**Author's Note:**

> Before we start I wanted to say that english isn't my mother tongue, so please excuse my spelling and grammars errors if you find some :,)

Characterization Hanzo Shimada 

**Introduction**

The character Shimada Hanzo is one of the playable heroes in the online multiplayer first-person-shooter “Overwatch”, which was published in 2016 by Blizzard Entertainments.

Hanzo can be found in the damage category and is as such playable.

He is a former member and heir of the Shimada clan, which he left after following the orders of the elders and killing his brother Genji.

Since then, he has been traveling the world to restore his warrior skills and honor.

In the animated Cinematic "Dragons" we can catch a glance at Hanzo's Character and his reaction upon finding out that his brother is actually alive and not dead.

  
  


**Main Part**

_External features_

(Yes, that's what it's called on my note about characterizations, even if it includes things like interactions with others and the past.)

I'm not going to write anything about how he looks here, because I think everybody knows how he looks.

Hanzo's full name is Shimada Hanzo or Shimada Hanzo, depending on whether you say your name in the Asian or American way. He is 38 years old and comes from Japan, where he is the heir of the Shimada Clan (Shimada Gumi).

From the beginning he was raised to later lead the clan. From an early age he learned various martial arts such as the use of sword and bow as well as various hand-to-hand combat sports. His brother Genji, on the other hand, was spoiled by his father and could do what he wanted to - which will later become a problem for both of them.

After their father's death, Hanzo was instructed to talk to Genji and put him in his place so that he could later join the business of the Shimada clan. Genji refused, however, and Hanzo felt like he was forced to kill him.

After his brother's death at his own hand, Hanzo left the clan and began to go into hiding while traveling the world. In the moment where the game takes place he is an assassin and mercenary who tries to become a warrior without equals and to develop his skills.

I don't known exactly in which year the game plays exactly, but I can narrow the years down to 2070's.I have to add that I did not do any great research, because I really wanted to focus on the characterization, so please don't be mad.

Hanzo's behavior is mostly distant and he usually says what he thinks without mincing his words - which for many seems repellent and know-it-all. He also avoids contact with others and prefers to stay to himself. Individual aspects of his character also suggest that he neither knows how to deal with the emotions of other peeople as well his own - something that can be observed well in Dragons.

When he interacts with other people, you immediately notice his reticence. You can also see that he often takes over the command and takes on the role of the leader when he is asked to do so, as an example you can see it in the voice lines during the callouts, mission-specifics and eliminations.

Nevertheless, he tries to prove himself to others and prefers to act than just to sit there, but before he does research and considers his actions instead of simply walking into something. Examples of this here are the voice lines for set-up, final blow and re-spawn.

Not much can be said about Hanzo's relationships with other people except that they are hardly there.

His father is Sojiro Shimada, who died and almost nothing is known about his mother.

He probably has no contact with his brother Genji, and their relationship could at best be described as “complicated”. Hanzo knows that Genji is alive - but doesn't seem really happy about it in Dragons. In addition, he says in one of his voice lines in the game himself that Genji is not the Genji he used to know. He doesn't really seem to know what to do with the knowledge that Genji is alive, let alone how to deal with his emotions on this subject.

Nothing officially is known about friendly or intimate relationships, where as the fan have many ideas who he could be dating and who he could be friends with.

_I_ _nner features_

Anyone who deals with Hanzo, his past and his character for a longer time will notice early on that certain things, such as some traits of his, conflict with each other. Things that, in my opinion, along with the guilt for Genji's murder, lead to a great internal conflict within himself.

Hanzo thinks of himself that he is far from redemption and will not find any more, something that can be found out in a voice line between him and Genji in game. There are also several references to this in the dialogue between the two in Dragons. Furthermore, he thinks that he can no longer change his fate and/or his path. He himself says that his fate was shaped by a sword - with which he probably means the sword with which he murdered Genji and which could possibly be another symbol of the Shimada clan in addition to the dragons.

In addition, Hanzo does not allow himself to be judged by others (see again in the voice lines between Genji and him), but he always punishes himself by recognizing that even death would not offer him any salvation. Furthermore, as already mentioned, he lives withdrawn and without real contact with other people, also a life of his own choosing, the exact reason for which is unknown.

About his emotions it can be said that he suppresses them - in front of himself, but above all in front of others where he tries not to show them. Something he doesn't always manage, however, which can be seen in a scene from Dragons:

Particularly the scene where Genji takes off his mask and finally clarifies his identity. You can see Hanzo's emotions in his eyes, but also in the rest of his facial expressions and gestures. After that, however, I have the impression that he noticed that he had let Genji see his emotions and tried to cover them up with rejection and a certain type of aggressiveness (an aggressiveness, which could possibly even come from the fact that this slip-up of his facade happened to him) .

A kind of facade that you can't only find in Dragons, but also throughout the whole game.

In addition, another voice line between the two brothers also makes it clear that Hanzo finds life more difficult than death. At least that's what Genji counters when Hanzo says he's not afraid of death. Genji is correct with this though, visible in Hanzo's reaction to Genji's sword on his neck in Dragons and that he was the only one who didn't try to break out of his grave in the 2015 Halloween event.

Hanzo seems to have physically separated himself from the Shimadas, but he knows better than that and also realizes that it will take a long time before he has completely separated himself from the clan - Mentally at least.

He's still trying to keep up the mask of a leader, and sometimes seems to literally cling to it. He tries not to show any weakness, tries to prove himself as a warrior, someone who shouldn't really be matched by anyone. In the end, however, he knows that he has weaknesses and sometimes shows them, even though he doesn't want to, which is why he becomes angry at himself and stoic towards others.

Coupled with the guilt he carries, not a good combination in my opinion.

**Conclusion and/or End**

In the end, it can be said that Hanzo is a much more complex character than what one would assume at first glance.

He's an important key element in Genji's story and contributes a lot to his development, not necessarily through good deeds (obviously), but more by putting him in contact with Overwatch and Zenyatta, even though the reason is very bad. In a certain way, Genji also contributed to Hanzo's separation from the clan and made him realize that most of the time he was only manipulated there.

So they both influenced each other in their future without really knowing it.

Hanzo's development can be described that he went from an obedient heir and son to a man who learned to free himself from the manipulation of the clan and became more independent. Someone who has done bad things, struggles with it, the guilt these things brought on and tries to come to terms with it and his inner conflict.

I'm curious to see how Hanzo's role and character will develop within Overwatch and especially in Overwatch 2.

I see great potential in him either with the help of others (e.g. from Genji and Zenyatta) to defeat the conflict in himself, as well as that he could play a more important role than before in the game. But I can also imagine that it could get worse and that he would drown in this conflict - then more likely to act as an opponent of Overwatch.

Regardless, though, I'm excited to see what's to come with Overwatch 2.

  
  
  



End file.
